7 modern car features drivers say are actually useful
Do certain fanciful vehicle traits only exist to convince shoppers to buy on the spot, or do they really, truly make driving better? A Redditor just posed the question, and the thread already has hundreds of responses. Here are seven modern car features drivers often say are actually useful.
By the way, we’re defining “modern” as a feature that either never existed before or wasn’t commonly available in most cars.
Automatic door locks
Starting simple! These days, cars equipped with keyless start can just lock and unlock their own doors based on the fob’s location. For instance, if you have the key fob in your pocket and approach the vehicle, it will unlock without you getting the key out. Similarly, if you walk away with the fob, it will lock the doors for you.
Tesla drivers can use their phones as the vehicle’s key. As long as you have your phone on you, you, the car will unlock and allow you to drive off.
Car head-up displays (HUDs)
This feature displays various information up on the windshield in the driver’s field view. It allows the driver to read the speedometer, keep track of the local speed limit, read navigation system directives, and more, without having to look down from the road.
If your car doesn’t have a factory-installed HUD, you can buy and aftermarket one.
Heated steering wheels and seats
I’ll chime in on this one: you don’t know how much you need a heated car seat until you’ve got one. My old 2004 BMW 325xi was heated – my first ownership experience with them – and I’ve never wanted to go back to cold padding. Now that my lower back hurts all the time anyway, I use them year-round.
A Redditor expressed similar sentiment over their heated steering wheel and ventilated seats:
“I bought my EV6, my first car with a heated steering wheel, on a cold December night. I barely made it off the dealership lot before deciding I will never own a car without a heated steering wheel ever again. I finally got to use my ventilated seats for the first time a few days ago and came to the same conclusion. Maybe one day ventilated steering wheels will be a thing.”
Self-driving
While we’re not 100% there yet, one Redditor assured the thread that even partial self-driving allows for a certain amount of mental relief. “Yep. It’s amazing how much less fatigued you are just by offloading 50% of the driving effort. Hard to explain it to someone who hasn’t tried it. I can drive for like 10 hours straight now with self-driving. Previously I would be pretty worn out after half that time.”
Wireless CarPlay and AndroidAuto
Drivers are fans for obvious reasons: seamless integration with our phones is dang-near a basic necessity these days. While some pointed out how these features often glitch, it beats looking at your phone while driving.
360 Cameras
Or any camera-fed driver assist, really. The suggestion got hundreds of likes. Folks just really like to be able to see clearly when they’re navigating a tight spot or parking the car.
Even folks who express certain, er, Luddite grumpiness, changed their minds: “The first car I owned with one I told my wife we would never need it. I used it all of the time.”
Programmable and automatic car seats
We’ll end simply, too. Certain cars have programmable seats that store your exact favorite position. Typically, you put the seat wherever you like it and then push and hold the seat’s “set” button. It will remember the setting each time you get in. On many vehicles, these buttons are on the left front door panel. You might be able to save multiple seat positions if you share the car with another driver.
Another Redditor pointed out that they loved how newer cars move the driver’s seat backward automatically when you open the door. This makes room for the driver to comfortably enter and exit without changing their seat settings. Then the seat repositions itself to its programmed setting. One commenter remarked that the automatic movement kind of crushes their left rear passenger’s legs, though.
It’s the small stuff
In the end, while certain modern car traits are “super high-tech,” it seems that most drivers just love having small creature comforts and automatic features that help occupants feel less burdened with manual functions…including figuring out where the heck the corners of the car are using glass mirrors.
